This build will serve as an example, I am not trying to get anything on this build buffed or nerfed specifically:
On the test patch, this version currently has 10% phys resistance, which is not enough vs big physical hitters like Iron Maiden.
I can maybe fit in 5-6% more on the devotion, but the issue prevails.
Even with a few armor increasing devotions, the build is at only ~2500 armor.
In testing, having 15% physical resistance and 2500 armor does not seem to hold up too well against SR65-66.
More importantly:
When it comes to boots, there are some blue boots like Molten Walkers, which would fit perfectly, but they don’t provide phys res (or too little of it), so I cannot reasonably recommend them. I have to fall back to Stoneplate Greaves.
When it comes to leg armor, I would like to use Dreeg-Sect Legguards, but because they cannot roll phys res, I have to swap to the only good budget alternative, Eastern Legguards.
When it comes to affixes on the helmet, there was a choice between a defensive prefix like Overlord’s or Formidable and one of the prefixes with cooldown reduction (Celestial, Magi’s, Interrogator’s). Now that this source of phys res is shut down, my default recommendation would be a CDR prefix.
Thankfully, at least the armor on this has phys res, but there are a lot green and blue armor pieces and shoulders which do not provide any, so if any budget build relies on those, they will be off even worse.
TL;DR:
Many choices for armor pieces and prefixes have become non-choices, dominated by the hunt for phys res and the lack thereof.
I didn’t lose anything, the build was made specifically on the test patch, never saw the light of 1.2.0.5.
Like I wrote, this isn’t about getting buffs to Overseer’s etc, it’s about the realistic choices for gear selection.
shouldn’t outlier damage spikes be addressed
Physical damage is an outlier damage on many enemies, which I am trying to address by building accordingly.
I can already mitigate 80% of all other damage, which means outside of shotgunning effects and retaliatory auras (Mad Queen, Durg), there aren’t many damage spikes that compare to physical hits.
But that constrains my choice of gear severely, because there are only ~3 gear slots that can realistically have phys res.
I don’t believe from a balance perspective, physical damage can be balanced for 10-15% phys res, 2.5k armor, and simultaneously 40-50% phys res, 4-5k armor.
Looking forward to being proven wrong.
I tried the ptr with all my builds and although at first the reduction in physical resistance may seem like an exaggeration, you realize that with the reduction in the physical damage of the enemies there is no big difference, I say this in terms of the campaign, crucible and SR.
Super bosses like Callagadra and others is another story, but I guess that’s okay since they were the biggest challenge from the beginning.
I think you might be intentionally mis-reading the post to have ill will - and then reply in the same manner.
Physical damage is still in the game.
I have to build accordingly, in order to mitigate it, which includes getting phys res.
Getting to 20% phys res occupies all the gear slots, at nearly max rolls, plus some from the devotion map.
Those gear slots are pretty much locked in, with not many or any alternatives in green and blue gear.
That is all.
So I am not “fixating” on “stacking” phys res, I am only covering the minimum to not get spanked, and it still locks me in to non-choices.
Even if we look at purple gear, the issue doesn’t really go away, I have more selection, but all of them have to have phys res, and the non-phys res pieces can not really compete.
You should not need to fixate on it, that is the point.
So far testing results indicate anything but, but you are adamant you need at least X% and are intentionally picking pieces to reach that %.
I am saying you shouldn’t need to, and if you do need it for certain enemies, those enemies should be adjusted. There is simply no way you need that much physical resist to survive Everything.
I don’t playtest build but sure will hope Calla in this next physical change patch won’t hit as deadly, eliminating all my melee squadrons in 2 secs.
survives the phys attacks themselves fine, but cant sustain back up again vs Maiden
similar deal with fabby
basically stuff can’t “run” from, where as reaper, benji, grava, kaisan, watchers etc it actually survives the phys attack fine and can then utilize VM to slowly regen back up
*yes i get it’s a budget build so i’m not expecting it to coast through 75-76, but the point is it’s taking the dmg fine on that high shard
healing combined with relative low HP for that shard then means it struggles, this is also highly noticeable on non phys dmg but burst enemies like valde where trail triggers his orbs like crazy
this pretty much lines up with any and all builds i’ve tried so far, the phys res and armour value themselves are fine, but more HP and faster healing/more healing is “beneficial”
I spent some time to improve the build.
Not to be able to make a post here, just to make a build that I can recommend to others.
For that measure, I tried various setups and a few devotion maps on this build, ranging from 10% to 20% physical resist.
I didn’t start chasing any specific number, I tried using different gear first and then improve performance and survivability.
I cannot confirm that 2500 armor 10% phys res is stable vs physical hitters in SR65/66.
Lowering the sustain, increasing phys res by swapping the pants from Dreeg-Sect to Eastern has increased the life expectancy.
Getting the Ghoul proc for massive phys res boost after big hits has also helped, the increase in percentage, as the skill leveled up has been notable.
Getting more HP was also helpful, but similarly limited, there are only so many affixes that can reasonably have “of Vitality”.
Taking 12400 from a Blitz isn’t stable, and partially the reason why I am still tuning the build.
You can also clearly see, that after that initial hit Ghoul is proccing and the survivability is significantly increased.
After the Ghoul buff stops, that is when the damage starts piling up.
Even with better piloting, you will occasionally get hit by her “forcewave” or a big Cadence hit.
are we watching different vids?
getting hit for 10k dmg, while sundered, should be excepted there, on 75 afterall
^i’m surviving this fine on several others/similar phys res armour value builds. as i’ve showcased in other threads
main difference on those are, they have either more base hp, or sustain, or both
^this is also why i’m not “chasing” phys res as you say, because at those low values it just doesn’t do the same
best example might be my recent Druid, Druid, Level 100 (GD 1.2.0.3) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator v Druid, Level 100 (GD 1.2.0.3) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator i swapped 200 armour (diff devo routes), 100? da and some hp, for more phys res; and defensively did worse/was more squish - i’m not gonna chase phys res when we already only have so little of it, there is no point
what i am gonna do, is chase HP, mebe DA, more sustain, and if possible squeeze in some extra armour if it fits, because it seems to work while not screwing up a build
15k hp with mere 1800 regen is just obviously too optimistic for 75-76, which again i totally respect since it’s a budget build and not intended to run 75-76, but it handles the direct phys dmg fine, it just need to heal back up better
After that hit, Ghoul lasts for about as long as the Sunder.
During that period, she hits a couple times for 4-5k
After Ghoul and Sunder wear of, she still hits for 4-5k.
Iirc her Sunder is 42%, so Ghoul, Resilience, Blast Shield almost mitigated the 42% more damage?
Sounds a bit high.
Ghoul comes online again at t=30 seconds.
Immediately after Ghoul proc goes, Resilience and Blast Shield also go on cooldown and you die.
So I guess 10% phys res is fine, as long as you have Blast Shield, 7% extra phys res from Resilience, 18% extra from ghoul, and Giant’s Blood is not on cooldown.
Seeing this: Going from 10% to 20% physical resist might not make a huge mathematical difference, but going from 35% to 45% in a critical situation is a bit different.
I guess I just got Ghoul nerfed, ya’ll can thank me later.
i think you’re mixing up ghoul with wayward soul? nevermind you meant *second video
^ghoul doesn’t factor in in terms of mitigation there/on the 12k blitz itself only the subsequent hits - and it’s pretty clear the issue is healing not the actual dmg itself, because the dmg racks up faster than the regen can handle when there is no pot, not that the inc dmg is unreasonably high/too high to handle from low phys res/armour
Ghoul not active: Take 12400 from Blitz, die to Cadence.
Ghoul, Resilience, Blast Shield active (+25% phys res, 300 absorption): Incoming damage is “fine”, almost sustainable with Giant’s Blood, even through Sunder.
I cannot really comprehend how that leads to the conclusion “10% phys resistance is fine, physical damage is fine”.
Anyway, point is made, I am leaving behind another Gnomish-occupied thread.
it survives through multiple sunder, with just 1800 regen, giant’s blood and heal pot…
and that’s my experience with these armour/phys res values; more base hp and or more sustain
and funnily enough it seems to work in the other direction too, more armour, less base HP you can have, as i showed with my low HP no existent phys res vindicator too
no, because that’s active for 5secs and both vids last longer than that
*Nor does my own builds use ghoul proc for phys res (too high CD)
this build/similar builds i ran pre 1.2.1; this would be insta kills, not “survivalble with gian’t blood/procs” Maiden, Fabby, Benji etc would all be full on showstoppers; they are not now. This means the issue isn’t reducing the incoming dmg 5% more, but increasing the healing so it can recover in appropriate time
i’ll say it once more; there is not a single build i’ve tried where this was a penalty/“build could handle SR 75 before but can’t now”, quite the opposite i’ve more builds surviving 75-76, and all my runs indicate these amounts of armour and phys res is fine if the other areas are there, base hp/healing etc…
^guess the issue
*i’ll spoil it and say it’s not the armour or phys res or even base hp
small devo change, single affix change Shieldbreaker, Level 100 (GD 1.2.0.3) - Grim Dawn Build Calculator, more hp more regen, feels better imo (would obviously need more runs to fully determine that), but i think the video also demonstrates relative tangible difference in comfort/“ease” there contra before?
funnily enough Valde and Slathsar hurt like a truck by comparison - Valde responsible for 3 deaths by ill timed VMs
- Valde responsible for 3 deaths by ill timed VMs 
